Stem Cells Attained From Mice Testicles

By consumerist.comMarch 31, 2006

A team of German scientists have developed a new source for embryonic stem cells: your taint.

Experimenting on the testicles of rodents, the G

ttingen team have discovered that cells that traditionally go on to form spermatoza can instead become stem cells and grown into any part of a mouse’s body. If this experiment can be duplicated in humans, tissue or organs could be repaired, side-stepping the ethical dilemmas that are currently plaguing ESC researchers.

Or so researchers claim. As thrilled as we are when any significant leap forward is made allowing the ill to be more effectively treated, we think all men can agree that there’s nothing less ethical than messing with our junk.

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Adult stem sells, such as MSCs, have been around for quite some time now, with applications such as the article describes. So the story really isn’t news, it’s just not talked about because the researchers don’t want to attract attention.

The whole ethical issue around ESCs is simply an attempt to justify criticism of something that is hated by fundamentalists for quite different reasons, and it seems likely that they would hate adult stem cells too. I’m not cynical enough to guess what grounds they would dig up to criticize them on, but I’m sure they’d find something.

Since I’m sure only godless communists are reading this site, for the moment, I just thought I’d mention that this really isn’t anything novel. Soon enough, though, they’ll find us out and create a controversy that they can then use to elect another president.